Starting device for explosive-engines.



0. J. GUSTAFSON. STARTING DEVICE FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 12,1912. 1, 1 25,842, Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

0H J. GUSTAPSON.

STARTING DEVICE FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES. APPLICATION FILED APR. 12,1912.

1,125,842" V Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEBT 2.

. awvewtoz G. J. GUSTAFSON.

STARTING DEVICE FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

APPLIGATION FILED AIR.12,1912.

Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED sTA'ras PATENT oFmo CARL .1. eusmrson, or srnmermtn, unssaonusnrrs, nssmnon, BY mnsn'n assreitmmrs, mo manner: manumcrumne COMPANY, or smmermm), massaonosnrrs, A conromnon or messacnvsnrrs. I

enema nnvrcn ron txrtosrvannemns.

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ence being had to the accom anying draw ing and to the figures of re erence marked. thereon.

This invention relates to improvements in starting devices for explosive engines, and more particularly to a starter for use in connection with engines for motor-cycles to enable the engine to be cranked by the foot of the operator without danger of injury in case of back-fire.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a foot starting device for motorcycle engines including means whereby a minimum operation of a cranking arm will be suficient to turn and start the engine.

Another object is to provide means whereby the foot-crank will be immediately released should the engine back-fire, orkick back.

A still further. object is to provide, in connection with the starting mechanism, means whereby the entire starting mechanism will be automatically uncou led as soon as the engine starts its norma operation, in addition to the object above re ferred to of automatically disconnecting the starting crank from the rest of the complete starting mechanism when the engine back-fires.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the various matters hereinafter described and referred to in the appended claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a fragmentar elevation of a portion of a motor-cycle s owing the improved starting mechanism in place; Fig. 2 is a vertical section, partly in elevation, of

a foot-cranking pedal and its attendant mechanism; Fig. 3 1s a rear elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a detail elevation, illustrating the release position of the parts in case the engine backfires; Fig. 5 is adetail end. view of the cranking pedal hub; Fig. 6 is a detail ele- Specification of Letters ratent. Application fll ed Apt-u 12, 1912. Serial No. 690,348.

Patented Jan. 19, 31915.

vation of a s rocket connection upon the 5% engine shaft; 1g. 7 is a vertical sectional new, on the line 7-.7 of Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a deta l view of the sprocket wheel which coacts with the main driving sprocket on Referring to the drawings, the motorcycle is represented at 1, it being provided with the usual en 'ne 2, the engine shaft 3, and the driving ains 4.

The starting mechanism is positioned shghtl forward of the engine shaft and ust a ove the foot-board and is connected to the engine by the chain 6 which passes around a large sprocket wheel on the starter and a smaller sprocket wheel on the engine shaft.

Referring to Fig. 2, the starting device proper consists of a foot-cranking arm 7, mounted upon a stub shaft 8, extending from the frame'of the machine. This foot-- cranking arm or pedal 7 is provided with an inwardly projecting hub 9, and is free to rotate upon the stub shaft 8. A retaining screw and washer 10 hold the foot-cranking pedal in place upon the stub shaft.

Keyed to the hub 9 of the cranking pedal is a ratchet 11 having a reduced hub section 12. This hub section is reduced for the purpose of receiving the large sprocket wheel 13 which is rovided with a hub 14. This sprocket wheelhs free to rotate around the hub section of the ratchet.

A pawl 15 is pivotally secured to the hub of the sprocket wheel 14 at 16 and is operated upon by the teeth of the ratchet 11,; thus rotating the sprocket wheel by the for- Ward movement of the cranking pedal. A spring 17 normally presses the pawl 15 into engagement with the ratchet teeth.

Pivotally connected to the pawl 15, as at 18, is a second pawl 19 adapted to engage teeth 20 formed upon the sleeve 21 fixed to the frame of the machine. A spring 22 nor mally keeps the pawl 19 in contact with the teeth 20. The purpose of this second pawl is to release the first pawl in the backward movement of the large sprocket wheel under the back-firing action.

Positioned within the fixed sleeve 21 is a coiled spring23, having one end held within the sleeve 21, as at 241:, and the other end held within one of the holes in the hubsection of the cranking pedal, which holes permit adjustment of the tension ofsuch 5 spring. Upon the forward movement of the pedal cr nking arm 7 the spring is wound,

and upon release of the pedal cranking arm the spring tends to return the cranking pedal to normal position against a buifer or 10 spring stop supported from the frame of the machine, as shown in Figs. 1 and 9 This buffer consists of a horizontally disposed lever 25, the other end being held by a spring 26 connected to the supporting bar 16 27 There is also provided a stop 27' which limits the movement of the lever 25.

The operation of the foot cranking pedal and its adjacent parts will be understood by referring, particularly, to Figs. 3 and 4.

The foot-cranking pedal is depressed in the direction of the arrow (see Fig. 3), the ratchet" also turning therewith. As this ratchet 11 turns its teeth engage the pawl 15 pivoted to the large sprocket wheel hub, and

26 thus forces around the sprocket wheel 13.

The motion thus imparted is transmitted by the'chain 6 to the small sprocket on the engine shaft, thus turning the engine to start its operation. During this forward rota- 3 tion of the sprocket wheel 13, the pawl 19- remains inoperative, simply riding over the teeth 20.

Referring particularly to Fig. 4, which shows the cranking pedal as partly de- '85 pressed and the parts in their released osition during a kick-back or back-fire o the engine, it will be seen that when this backward movement of the engine is transmitted to the sprocket 13, that the second pawl 19 is locked immediately into the teeth 20 formed upon the fixed sleeve 21 and as the sprocket continues in its reverse direction, the pawl 19 will raise the pawl 15 from engagement with the teeth of the ratchet 11, and thus the isprocket 13 will be allowed to rotate free from the cranking pedal, and allow the crankingpedal to return to normal position under the action of its spring.

Referring now to Fi 5, 6 and 7, wherein is shown the engine s aft and its sprocket connection to the starting device proper, the numeral 28 indicates a small sprocket p0si tioned loosely around the end of the engine shaft, and around which the chain passes.

This sprocket 28 is provided with a hub section 29, upon the mner end of which are formed inclined projections or teeth' 30.-

These coact with correspondingly formed depressions 31, formed withinthe hub of the,

i main driving sprocket 32, which is keyed to the engine shaft. The hub 29 of the sprocket 28 is also provided with annular grooves 33. and 34: connected by a crossgroove or grooves 35. a OperiI-ting within either of the grooves 83 I 7 012 34 is a plunger 36, reciprocating within an opening 37 formed in the annular collar 38, fastened to the guard of the ma- .chine by the screws 39. The hub section of the small sprocket 28 revolves within the bearing surface 40 formed in the annular collar 37 .As shown in Fig. 6, the pin 36 is holding the projections upon the hub of the sprocket 28 out of engagement with the depressions formed on the main driving sprocket. When it is desired to, start the engine the pin 36 will be moved into the groove 33, thus permitting the meshing of the projections and depressions, respectively, of the small 30 sprocket and main driving sprocket thus turning the engine shaft, this turning movement being accomplished when the cranking pedal is depressed by the foot of the operator. The pin 36 is spring pressed and the groove 34 is so-formed that a pressure on the hub of the sprocket 28 toward the engine will cause said pin to move from the groove 34 into the groove 33. When the engine has been started, however, the starting mechanism being released, the walls of the depressions 31 will force the projections 30 out of engagement, thus causing the spring plunger to move through one of the cross-grooves 35 into the groove 34 and thereafter, while the engine is performing its normal driving action, operate therein.

It will be understood that various modi fications and changes may be made without de arting from the spirit of my invention.

aving thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A starting device for the engine of a motor-cycle including in combination, a crank arm, means for yieldingly raising said crank arm, a stop for limiting the upward movement of the arm, aratchet carried by the arm, a sprocket wheel, means -for'connecting the ratchet withsaid sprocket wheel, said means including devices for automatically disconnecting the ratchet from the wheel on a reverse movement of the engine shaft, a second sprocket wheel connected to the first sprocket wheel, means for connecting said second sprocket wheel to the engine including clutch members'adapted to be au-. tomatically disengaged upon the starting of the engine, and means for holding the clutch members out of engagement.- 12c 2. A starting device for the engine of a motor cycle, including a cranking arm, means for yieldingly raising said cranking 'arm, means for ting the upward movement of the cranking arm, a ratchet carried 1? by said cranking arm, a sprocket wheel, a pawl pivoted to said wheel and normally engaging the ratchet, so that a downward movement of the cranking arm will rotate said wheel, a second pawl pivotally connect- 1 0nd pawl' operating to ralse the pawl from out of engagement.

ed to the first named pawl and normally endisengaged upon the startin g of the engine, 10 gaging a second, stationary ratchet, said sec'- and means for holding said clutch members engagement with its ratchet on the reverse In testimony whereof, I aflix my signamovement of the wheel, a second sprocket ture, in the presence of two witnesses.

7 wheel connected to the first sprocket wheel, CARL J. GUSTAFSON.

and means for connecting said second Witnesses: sprocket wheel to the engine, including CARL O. HEAsTRoM,

clutch members adapted to be automatically F. A. SAULT. 

